The World Needs Silence

This world needs some quietness.

I say that with a tinge of exasperation.

But for the moment, I’m having a very wonderful ‘alone’ time. And I’ve decided to write. It’s raining outside. The sky is dark and gloomy. But for once, I’m enjoying this rainy day! I don’t have to go anywhere or do anything urgent. So the rain doesn’t bother me. I’m just sitting back, looking out my window, and enjoying the strange quietness of falling rain.

It strikes me that all the day, our lives are full of noise. We all know it. But can we escape it?

I think those of us who sometimes choose to retreat into the quietness of our hearts will know how to escape it.

All day we are bombarded by sounds, sights and voices. Information and messages – not to mention the notorious or ardently dull Facebook statuses (!) – invade our minds and dominate our train of thoughts. And sometimes, we too, are full of “noise”; both inside and outside. We constantly have thoughts swirling all over, distracting us – a never-ending stream of consciousness. And not to forget, our external noise-piece, our tongues!

I wonder, when is the only time of the day where you can be totally quiet? No talking, no people around, no music, no reading, no doing anything. Just sitting quiet and “listening” to the silence.

I admit, I find it extremely difficult to find a quiet place and stay silent even for 10 full minutes! Often the house is full of noise. I have to wait till everyone has retreated to their rooms. But I realize that you don’t have to be in a totally silent environment, devoid of sounds, in order to be quiet within yourself.

Often, while travelling to and from school in the train, I would close my eyes and retreat into my thoughts. The external world would fade and blur. Many times I prefer not to listen to my iPod. The music distracts me from my thoughts. All it does is keep the external noise out. But what I enjoy doing is to shut out the noise of the world on my own. I think if we can do that more easily, nothing can deter us from keeping a laser-sharp focus on our thoughts, and on the sounds and voices that are WORTH listening to.  

This is my 2011 resolution. Let’s make a point to shut out the noise of this world to hear the only Voice that’s worth listening to – more than anything!

Carpe diem,

Janielle :)